Pembroke council has decided to proceed with marketing lands at the city’s waterfront for development.

The decision was made at the Feb. 5 meeting of city council where, after some discussion, it was decided to invite visions from developers for two parcels of waterfront land. The first parcel is situated between the berm that is the former Canadian Pacific railway bed and Blackstein Boulevard, bordered on the west by Centenary Park Road and on the east by Albert Street. The second parcel is the marina parking lot situated east of Albert Street, between the railroad berm and the marina, and the Muskrat River on the east.

According to Pembroke Mayor Mike LeMay, the decision to proceed with marketing the properties, each approximately 2.5 acres in size, is part of a journey that council embarked on over three years ago. Since then it has moved ahead with the required rezoning chance, Special At Risk assessment, environmental and archaeological assessments, plus a survey and topographical report.

“As a council, we made the decision that economic development for our community is extremely important, and we have to increase the assessment and one area where we have to increase the assessment is in the commercial area,” LeMay said. “We did a lot of research at that time, and I know from discussing it with business people on main street, the PBIA was in favour of it and the Economic Development Advisory Committee was in favour of it saying, ‘yes, we have to start looking at the potential (for waterfront development’.”

LeMay reminded council that a group from Brockville did a secret visit of the city and one of the recommendations it made was that the waterfront was “a jewel” and that it should be developed to bring in more commercial assessment and to encourage tourists to not only come to the city to see the murals but draw them to the waterfront as well.

“We’re at the stage now where we have to move forward. I sure don’t want to see it put on hold,” LeMay said.

What form that development will take will depend on the vision of the developer, but committee is looking for someone to evolve an exciting, destination space like a restaurant or hotel.

New Councillor Brian Abdallah, the only member to vote against proceeding with marketing the land, expressed concern about the loss of green space but was told by members of council who also were on council when this was discussed previously, that the city was not looking at having both parcels of land developed. The idea is to give developers their choice of the two properties, giving them an option to choose the one that best suits their vision.

LeMay said there would be public consultation about what goes in the space before a final decision is made and he emphasized to council, that it has the final say on whether a development proceeds or not.

Abdallah said he was not in favour of proceeding with marketing the land at this time but instead wanted everything put on hold and public consultations to take place now instead of further along in the process.

Council also has not decided yet whether it will sell or lease the parcel of land.

Pembroke CAO and clerk Terry Lapierre told council, either way the property would be taxable, even if the city retained ownership and only leased it out. However, Lapierre warned that leasing the land would be more difficult because unless the developer owns the property, it can be difficult for them to secure financing from banks.

Coun. Pat Lafreniere said she remained undecided on the sell or lease question while Coun. Ed Jacyno said leasing the land was acceptable but that he was against selling it outright.

“I think that (the property) has to be kept for future generations. We are running out of green space,” Jacyno said, explaining that with a lease, the city would still own the property down the road.

Coun. Andrew Plummer pointed to redevelopment success stories such at the Kingston waterfront and the area around TD Place (Landsdowne Park) in Ottawa. He also suggested that perhaps there would be opportunities for private and public collaboration in the development.

Deputy Mayor Ron Gervais, agreed with Jacyno saying the city only has a finite amount of land.

“We have what we have” Gervais said. “I’m curious to see what, if anything comes forward.” He echoed Coun. Plummer’s statement on a possible private/public partnership, perhaps one in which the city builds a facility and then leases it out. Regardless, he said council has to act on behalf of all the ratepayers and make sure the land is utilized in the best way possible.

“If someone comes forward and wants to put a home there, my expectation is that council is going to say, ‘no, that’s not the highest and best use of this land and that we are acting on behalf of all of the ratepayers’,” Gervais said.